The other day, I went to the city to get my Burritoville fix. As I was walking along 2nd Avenue, I noticed something; in the wake of rising gas prices, why the hell are the cab companies STILL using the blocky leviathan Ford Crown Victoria.

The Ford CV is ranked at a very paltry 17 city/25 highway. However, since EPA estimates are not reliable, these cabs tend to get about 10 mpg. Here's the solution, USE THE TOYOTA PRIUS!!!!

The Prius utilizes Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, in which a gas engine assists an electric motor and battery system in cruising and accelerating, and the electric motor acts alone in coasting and low speeds, the battery is charged via a combination of the kinetic energy of the turning of the wheels, braking, and maybe even a little bit of the gas engine. The result, a car that actually gets better mileage on the highway then the city.

One of the major arguments for using the Crown Vic as a city taxi cab is that it is large, roomy, and can handle the constant acceleration, deceleration, and strain that is part of taxi driving. However, the Prius has almost as much legroom, headroom, and interior space as the Crown Vic, has only a one second gap in 0-60, and the Prius has 335 ft-lbs of torque compared to the Crown Vic's 275.

Not only would the cabs be able to go further on a tank of gas, but it would also cut down emissions, an important issue in a very population dense area, and would actually cost the companies less in initial investment as well as maintenance (the Prius actually costs LESS than the Crown Victoria).

But why not stop there!!!! Several jurisdictions in Florida and Ontario are actually using the Prius for POLICE USE. The Toyota Prius would be perfect as a regular patrol vehicle for the NYPD, since speeds are much lower and a big engine is not necessary to simply patrol town. Its also much safer too, with snow on the ground, the rear-wheel drivetrain of the FCV lends itself to skids, something the driver couldn't afford in an area with a lot of foot and car traffic. With front-wheel drive, the cabbies and police would be much safer!!!!!!

So, I believe it is time for our cities and towns to switch their fleets to hybrids whenever it is possible and pick the right car for the job, because not only does it cut down on emissions and resource use, it also can save the taxpayers money.

Social Security is one of the most efficient and the most successful government programs. It has helped out the needy, the elderly, and the handicapped, with only one cent per every dollar going to administrative costs.. However, the program has several challenges facing it. By the time 2040 comes, the SSA may not be able to pay out all of the benefits. However, privatization is NOT the solution, in fact, it could be very problematic.

However, there is one small thing that Nancy Pelosi and the new congress can do, and that is to...

ELIMINATE THE SALARY CAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those who earn greater than $94,200 per annum are currently exempt from paying into the system. Not only would lifting the salary cap solve 95% of the problem, its also a fiscally conservative idea, since lifting the salary cap would create a true flat tax and not one that is hit just on the middle class and the upper class doesn't pay into it at all, although it could become more progressive if a percentage of capital gains taxes gets put into the fund, thus allowing for the program to not only age gracefully, but serve the needy better.

In spring of 2005, I was offered a job that I think would change my life. It was for a fledgeling student recycling program that started as a grassroots effort in the upperclassmen apartments.

The situation was like this, much of the recycling that was being put out was contaminated, and studies show that for every 99 people that properly recycle their materials, there is always one person who throws a cheeseburger into the mass bin and ruins the whole load. What the job of being a student recycler entailed was going door-to-door picking up recycling and sifting through it, making sure that it was clean. The reason was because if there was any contamination in the bins, the whole bin would be thrown out.

It started as a project in the Village, which were the senior apartments, in which recycling had become mandatory. By the time I came in, it had expanded to another on-campus apartment complex. Several months into my stay with the program, we decided to expand into the dorm complexes. Students would leave their recycling out and we would come and pick it up once a week, and put them in bins for the local waste management companies to take away. It has proven to be a great success and has been applauded by student government as well as the Dean of Students. We have seen very high participation levels, especially with the freshman students.

With these successes have come obvious challenges, such as the departure of our boss, the many budget cuts pushed through by governor Corzine, and a fire marshall with an agenda. Through this, we have survived.

Many colleges could benefit from Ramapo's example, and a student run recycling program is something that would work very well and help keep the waste stream clean. Here are a few things to consider when setting up a program.

You need a few students who are committed and can do rounds once a week for each dorm.
You need to have a supervisor, especially if you wish to be paid for this job.
You need to know what the local waste management company takes and what is needed.
You need to know how big each dorm is, and how much volume to anticipate each week
You need to start off small, start off with the senior apartments, since they tend to generate a lot more recycling, because more than likely, there will be a kitchen.

Remember these, and you can create a great program at your school. If you ever want more details on how to set up a program, contact me at thdavis@ramapo.edu.

Also, if you want to book me as a speaker at your campus, whether for environmental conferences or other events, I will be willing to go anywhere, as long as travel and appropriate lodging are arranged.

With the new Democratic congress comes a new direction for America. However, one thing that may have gone off the radar for many politicians is the idea of updating the Energy Tax Act Of 1978, which provides, among other things, that all vehicles getting less than 22.5 mpg (combined EPA estimate) must pay a tax among procurement. It is a one time tax that does not apply to vehicles over 6000 pounds, which is one of the reasons gas guzzling SUVs have been so popular. Here is how I think the policy should be changed.

1. All vehicles that get a combined EPA estimate of 25 or above should be exempt from this tax.
2. All vehicles should be charge $500 for each MPG below 25
2. All vehicles, regardless of size, should be subject to the tax, unless for government and commercial purposes, and even then, it must be proven that the vehicle is needed (ie: you don't need a Ford Crown Vic as a taxi, nor do you need a Chevy Suburban for darting down city streets, but you may need an SUV for forestry purposes or a large truck for towing things), and unless the owner can claim 4 or more children under 18
3. It should be a yearly tax put on the owner of the vehicle, applicable for as long as vehicle is registered in owner's name

I believe that we are far beyond the Europeans and the Asians when it comes to fuel efficiency, in fact, we can't even sell many of our cars in Asia because of our lax standards. It is time to think of fuel conservation and weaning ourselves off fossil fuels, and the only way to do that is to discourage ownership of these vehicles. There are plenty of inexpensive new vehicles that exceed the EPAs limit